SMILE
by micheleNasser
Summary: Monk sees an item in a gift shop window. He remembers something. A one shot story. Response to The Great Fanfic Challenge, USA Network Monk Board.


_I do not own Monk. _

_This is a response on the Great fanfic Challenge, at USA Network Monk Board.  
__Hope you enjoy it._

_Thank you, Kathy!_

* * *

**SMILE**

As she walked down the sidewalk absorbed in admiring the newest fashion items in the shop windows, Natalie didn't realize right away that Monk had stopped some shops behind. But years of experience had prepared her for situations like that.

She was used to seeing him stop suddenly, and resignedly behind someone who walked very slowly in front of him, or at the sight of someone who crossing his path talking animatedly and threatening to touch him with dramatic gestures. Or the sight of floating hairs from common heads invading his comfort zone and bringing him to a dead stop. Or the sight of small children, balancing huge ice-cream cones or sticky lollypops and walking too close to him for his comfort. Or animals affectionately enclosed in the arms of their owners, who were irresistibly similar to the animals themselves. Or any other unbelievably normal obstacle that would he might encounter and that might exasperate him.

Before she went back and helped Monk out, Natalie took another long look at a pair of sunglasses covered in leather and sporting dark-brown lenses. She had been in love with this pair of sunglasses for a long time, and enjoyed going to the mall to see it through the shop window, since her low pay allowed her only to dream about having a pair of Gucci frames adorning her face.

Natalie sighed in front of the pair of sunglasses once again, and then made a U-turn back to Monk.

Surprisingly he was alone, stranded in front of a shop window. There was no one blocking his way; he was not troubled and miming to Natalie for wipes to clean something that was bothering him; he was not uncomfortably trying to ask a sales clerk to rearrange the showcase items in the store; he had not been infected by an unnoticed sneeze from an unnoticed passer; nor was he catatonic because of some other germ issue.

No, he remained calm, with a straight posture, looking firmly at one item at the shop window. He was so concentrated on this item that he did not notice Natalie approaching. He held his position there fore some time longer, looking firmly into the shop window, as if hypnotized by it.

Natalie saw a smile born in the corner of his lips that was slowly radiating itself over his face. Gradually, as if she were watching a classic movie in black and white, in slow motion, the face of Monk was transforming. Natalie then understood that there was a wrinkle trying to hide itself at the end of his nose. A wrinkle that time and solitude did everything possible to erase, but that had insisted on staying there, discreetly hoping for the exact moment to flourish. And it reappeared intensely, spreading the smile across Monk's face. And it brought along other wrinkles, old laugh marks and crinkles that Natalie had never before seen printed on his face. His face was now colorful, illuminated.

The smile took Monk hostage; he had given up of all his fears to fully engage himself with it. The smile squeezed his eyes so strongly, that a tear escaped out bravely, without any fear of being contained. And it proudly made its way down, leaving memories of its history on Monk's cheek until it died, fulfilled, at the edge of his chin.

Monk turned to look at Natalie, and still smiling said, "Epiphany". He then turned away from the window.

Curiously, Natalie sought among the various empty portraits in the showcase for an explanation of that wonderful smile.

There was one single portrait with a frame on it, exactly in the center of the showcase. It was an ordinary picture of a couple, embracing and smiling. Obviously they were not models, they were real lovers. Natalie acknowledged the feeling reflected in the eyes of the couple. She had had it with Mitch. Monk had also recognized it.

"Epiphany" Natalie said, smiling.


End file.
